Is analysis paralysis preventing growth in your practice or DSO?

Whether you're a dentist-owner, practice manager, or a dental service organization (DSO) executive, it can be difficult to know what to prioritize to help you meet your goals.

Analysis paralysis was a focus of conversation at the recent DentalForum conference in Bonita Springs, FL.

Alex Sharp.

"The first step is to identify what are the ‘glass balls’ that can't be dropped and what are the 'rubber balls' that can be missed when you're juggling a lot," Alex Sharp, CEO of Shared Practices Group, a DSO with 37 affiliated locations, said.

What prevents practices from achieving their goals

"In general, there are two main traps that keep groups from executing with speed and scale," Dave Salciccioli, chief strategy officer of Singing River Dental Partners, a dental group with 10 affiliated locations, told me.

"Either they talk too much about what they need to do but don't take action, or they're taking lots of action but without focus or alignment," he added.

Salciccioli says the key to successful execution is to create clarity on where you want to be in the future and then work backward to identify the milestones and steps that will get you there. Once you have done this, he recommended using a visual tool to document the tasks, deadlines, and person responsible for completing each step.

4 keys to a successful initiative

Annette Martino.

Annette Martino is the director of operations at The Smilist Management, a DSO with 90 affiliated locations. She shared the following tips for success:

• Identify what success looks like by setting key performance indicators (KPIs), such as a 5% increase in collections.
  
  
• Establish a committee for each stage of execution, from vetting to implementation to monitoring compliance and results.
  
  
• Set up a weekly cadence for project leaders to report on progress.
  
  
• Involve leadership in the execution phase, not solely the decision-making and results phases.

Martino said The Smilist Management is data-driven, so they regularly meet with the practice managers and operations team to review implementation progress and continue meeting postimplementation to measure success.

Project tools and a 'communication waterfall'

Using a project management tool like Smartsheet or Monday.com can help you stay on track. Another must-have is clear communication with all the stakeholders, from the executive team to the end user.

"We create a communication waterfall. We have an internal podcast and a newsletter to help make sure everyone at every level knows what we're doing, why we're doing it, and the expectations we have as a company," Sharp said.

As Hall of Fame basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski said, "Effective teamwork begins and ends with communication."

Beth Gaddis is the editor in chief at Planet DDS, a dental technology company specializing in cloud-based practice management systems, digital imaging, and dental marketing services. Previously, Gaddis was the marketing director for two large dental service organizations. Prior to entering the dental industry, Gaddis was a journalist for 16 years in a variety of roles, including as a TV news producer at the CBS affiliate in Boston. You can connect with Gaddis on LinkedIn.

The comments and observations expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of DrBicuspid.com, nor should they be construed as an endorsement or admonishment of any particular idea, vendor, or organization.